


The Tables Have Turned

by UltimateOptimist



Series: Medical Series/ Jess 'verse [2]
Category: 5 Seconds of Summer (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Hospital, Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Injury, M/M, Michael Clifford & Ashton Irwin Friendship, Michael Clifford & Calum Hood Friendship
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-02-26
Updated: 2017-03-26
Packaged: 2018-09-27 03:02:09
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,074
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9949235
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/UltimateOptimist/pseuds/UltimateOptimist
Summary: Another story based on the AU Hospital and Jess 'verse.They are the Lifesavers, they work hard to save all those they can, however it all changes when on a night of what should be celebration turns sour, and they have to save one of their own.





	1. Chapter One

**Author's Note:**

> Hi Sorry I've been away so long! But here's a new plot bunny...Let me know if I should continue and what you think!

CHAPTER ONE

“Don’t you have a hot date Irwin?” Luke grins as he spies the blonde paramedic waiting at reception.  
“Do you ever do any work around here?” Leigh asks as she hurries around the reception desk, dropping off one chart and picking up another as she balances a suture kit in the other hand.  
“You know I never feel wanted around here” Ashton sighs, “and yes on both counts, I’m waiting for the paperwork then I can sign out and meet my man.”  
“You guys got anything special planned?” Luke asks rummaging for a pen.  
“Calum was being very mysterious so who knows, hope it somewhere which serves food quick I’m starving” Ashton groans.  
“And they say romance is dead” Leigh grins as she walks away.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Calum rechecks for the second or is it the fifth time he’s picked up the ring.  
He checks the time as he looks as himself in the mirror for the final time.  
Tonight is the night he proposes to his soulmate. He hasn’t told anyone else, just asked Ashton’s mother for her approval 2 days ago and his own mother on her thoughts. Both women were over the moon with the idea. He wants them to be able to break the news to their friends together, as fiancés.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

“Yeah I’m leaving now, where we going?” Ashton asks as he waves hello to Michael who’s on his way in to start his shift.  
“But Cal....I just....Yeah ok, ok, well international man of mystery I’m going to drive home first, get changed....Yeah ok see you soon” Ashton grins into his phone.  
Ashton pulls out of the hospital parking lot and into the lane of traffic heading to his and Calum’s place. He’s waiting at the lights smiling at the song playing on the radio, and then all he can see is the headlights of a car on his left as it slams into him.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"How's Jess? She go down ok?" Luke asks as Michael walking to the reception.

"Well yes I'm fine, how was your day?" Michael drawls sarcastically, "But yes fine, she was out like a light for Grandma..as always."

"Sorry" Luke grins, biting his lip he loves a sarcastic Michael. "Glad to hear it.....let's get to work"

"You're so romantic"

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

“Guys we’ve got a trauma rolling in, RTC 2 casualties... a driver slammed into the side of another car. Second driver sounds bad, suspected splenic injury, possible multiple fractures” Perrie calls out as she walks to the nurses station.  
“Ok..I’ll take the first, Mike, Jade with me...Pez you take the second with Leigh and Lousia” Luke calls out.  
Perrie nods, “Get trauma two ready” she asks Louisa.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

“What we got?” Luke asks as the paramedic pulls up.  
“Male driver of the second car, Heart rate Tachy at 120, BP 80/60, extensive blood loss on scene, Left Radial fracture, Contusion over left Solar Plexus, Breaths shallow...” He looks up and startles as he spies Luke’s face. Clearly dispatch hadn’t passed on the news.  
“Luke I’m sorry, I thought you knew....” He apologies.  
Luke’s frozen for a second, because he’d recognise the blonde curls anywhere....He looks to Michael, who’s jogging up to meet the gurney.  
“It’s...It’s Ash” He chokes.  
Michael pales, but snaps into action almost instantly, on auto-pilot. “Ok, Ok,” he breathes to loosen the knot in his chest and looks to the paramedic, “What we got?”  
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Luke swallows back bile as he looks down at his friend. Ashton is covered in blood, and his hand shakes a little as he reaches for the gurney. He’s never had to do this, treat someone he knows, and now it’s one of his best friends.  
“What do you need?” Michael’s voice startles him, but as always it’s calm and steady. Luke raises his eyes to meet his husbands, and sees the steely determination in his eyes. This is Michael, always dependable in a crisis. It relaxes Luke instantly, to know he’s fully supported in this.  
“I...” Luke takes a breath, “Let’s page CT, X-ray, Call down surgery, Let’s run in two litres of saline” Luke rattles off, already listening to his chest.  
Michael and Jade run through the orders, as another nurse cuts off Ashton’s jeans and t-shirt.  
“I need a chest tube kit, there’s a tension pnemouthorax on the left” Luke asks.  
“Ash....Ash!” Calum immediately rushes into the trauma room. He sounds frantic, and neither Luke or Michael can blame him. Its an odd tone to hear from the laid-back Kiwi, and it reminds them all over again just how serious the situation is. He’s dressed in a nice shirt and jeans. Clearly the pair were off somewhere nice tonight “Oh my god, what the hell happened?”  
Luke and Michael share a quick glance, Michael already handing over the kit and immediately walks to his best friend’s side, stripping off his gloves. Calum looks at the gloves and feel sick, that’s Ashton’s blood. He pales and feels himself sway slightly, struggling to comprehend that his night had turned out like this.  
“Cal, Cal let them work alright let’s go outside” Michael states calmly, reaching out to steady his friend. Luke’s focused on Ashton, but he recognises the tone of his voice. It’s the one that’s reserved for scared family members, for those where it looks bad. Luke doesn’t let himself dwell on that any longer – he can’t comprehend that thought.  
“I want to stay” Calum states firmly, though his eyes are beginning to tear up.  
“Cal, you can’t help him, not now” Michael reaches out to grab his hand, the other arm wraps around his shoulder. “We’ll go outside alright? Luke will take care of him” he persuades, all the while tugging him out the room with a practiced ease.  
“No wait. Help him” Calum stops, his voice breaking as soon as they reach outside the doors. Michael stares for a second, a little confused.  
“You’re the best Mike, I’ll be ok,” Calum promises, “I need you to help him” his voice cracks now and a tear rolls down his cheek, he brings a shaky hand to wipe away his tears.  
Michael nods, “I will be out as soon as he goes upstairs” he promises, turning around and jogging back into the room.  
XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

It takes a tortuous 20 minutes for them to stabilise Ashton and take him upstairs for surgery.  
“Well done boys, we’ll look after him now” Dr Barakat promises as he wheels Ashton out of the room. Luke lets out a breath, and pulls his gloves off.  
Michael walks to his side, stripping his own gloves off, “You were amazing, he’s going to be fine” Michael states softly, reaching up to brush some hair off his face. Luke forces a weak smile, still in shock and still worried. He doesn’t know what to say. He rubs his face with trembling hands.  
“I need to go see Cal, let him know what’s going on, will you be ok?” Michael asks, concerned.  
“Yeah, no go see Cal, I uh....I need to write that up” Luke nods, finally finding his voice. He needs to do it now, then he can see his friends.  
“Page me if you need me” Michael makes him promise, gripping both sides of his face and making him bend down so he can kiss his forehead.  
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Calum is pacing in the empty family room, unable to keep still. Flashes of Ashton go through his mind, he can’t stop picturing him looking lifeless on the gurney, with his blood smeared everywhere.  
“Cal....he’s stable he’s in surgery” Michael’s voice interrupts his morbid train of thoughts.  
Calum stops, and takes the information in, “I....what....what’s the damage?” He asks. He feels sick that he even has to ask the question he gets asked daily.  
Michael sighs, closing the distance between them, tugging him into a chair. “He’s with Dr Barkat, they’re going to remove his spleen, he had a tension pneumothorax so Luke but in a chest tube, he’s got a nasty bump on the head, but CT has ruled out a bleed. Broken left wrist, a few cracked ribs from the steering wheel. He’s lost a lot of blood but he’s stable” Michael rattles off.  
Calum nods, his doctor brain automatically analysing the information, Ashton isn’t in immediate danger, but it is serious. “I should call his Mother...oh god Lauren and Harry...” Calum breathes out, knowing how close the siblings are.  
“Hey, breathe” Michael states firmly, giving his thigh a squeeze. “Let yourself have a minute,” echoing his previous words to Luke. “I can call them if you need me too”, as close as Michael is with Ashton’s family, all their families have overlapped over the years especially with the arrival of Jess, he knows he’ll have an easier time with it then Calum.  
Despite the seriousness of the situation Calum can’t help but smile gratefully at his best friend, “Thanks but I should do it.....God I can’t believe this...I was....” Calum laughs bitterly at the situation. He can’t even finish his sentence, tears in his eyes at the thought that he might never be able to use the ring in his jean pocket.  
Michael frowns, but waits patiently. Calum takes the ring out of his pocket with a trembling hand.  
“God Cal” he breathes out, his heart breaking for his friend.  
“I....he can’t...” Calum begins sobbing now, and Michael pulls him into his chest, rocking him gently.  
“Ssssh he won’t he won’t” Michael whispers, kissing the top of his head...praying it’s true.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the delay - here's part 2. Hopefully it's ok and worth the wait

_Luke’s frozen staring at the table, at how pale Ashton’s face is, the blood a stark vivid against his forehead “_

_Luke what next?” Jade asks almost hesitantly, defying her shaking hands as she hands a unit of blood._

_“Luke?” Michael looks up from where he’s inserting a line for more fluid. He determinedly doesn’t look at Ashton’s face._

_“Errmmmm” Luke stutters._

_It’s like he’s forgotten everything he knows, the medicine he practices day in day out. He knows he should be looking at this detached, right now Ashton should be a patient, not a friend. But he just can’t. Instead he sees the godfather to his child, his best friend._

_“Luke?” Michael asks, locking eyes with his husband. He can see the sheer panic underneath Luke’s calm outward exterior. “_

_Dr Hemmings, what next?” Michael asks firmly, maintaining eye contact. He’s trying not to panic but for every minute they wait Ashton is becoming more unstable. He takes another breath, “_

_Dr Hemmings what next?” He asks again as another 30 seconds tick by, this time its louder and firmer. They need a plan. That’s what it takes to startle Luke back into action. He has another second looking into his husband’s eyes. It anchors him, it gives him some composure, anchors him. He takes a breath and tries to steady the shaking in his hands._

_“Chest tube kit to me, size 8 gloves” Michael nods, with the smallest of reassuring smiles, and grabs the kit._

Luke paces, replaying the events in the trauma room in his mind. He just can’t stop thinking about Ashton, how pale he was, did he do everything he could? Did his hesitation cause a delay? He feels sick to his stomach. Ashton has to be ok, he just has to be......

XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Michael sighs running his hands through his hair. He’s left Calum in the family room, the Kiwi having calmed down enough to be able to ring Ashton’s family, and promised to meet him in the surgical waiting room. First he needs to find Luke, and maybe have a minute to himself. He walks through the emergency room, trying to spy his husband whilst simultaneously ignore the many concerned looks thrown at him by various members off staff, he knows they all mean well but he can’t bare the sympathy right now.

“He’s outside” Carol tells him as soon as she spots him, squeezing his arm gently as she walks past.

She’s already drafted a replacement for Michael, and both Dr Edwards and Dr Bay have offered to stay late to cover Luke’s and Calum’s shift. Michael gives a nod, and a small smile which he hopes is reassuring. He steps through the entrance doors, and his heart aches as he watches Luke pace up and down the currently empty ambulance bay. The tall doctor is wringing his hands as he walks, looking so unsure of himself, a trait anyone rarely sees. The red head takes a breath, to steady his own nerves and despair and heads towards him. Luke looks up when Michael is all but 4 steps away, he’d know those footsteps anywhere. The emotions he’s been holding back since he first saw Ashton on the table are threatening to break through.

He takes a breath, “Hey.” “He’s still in surgery...It...It erm might be a while,” Michael sighs running his hands through his hair.

Luke just nods, he doesn’t know what to say, he stops pacing and sits down on the bench beside the ER entrance, now that Michael’s here all the adrenaline is wearing off...god he’s tired.

“Calum’s ringing Jane” Michael continues, trying to fill the silence.

Luke just nods, he’s not really paying attention.

“Hey. Stop.” Michael puts a hand on each side of his face, now Luke is sitting he can look him properly in the eye.

“You did everything you could for him, you fought for him, you gave him a chance” he reassures him.

“I just...” Luke starts, “I panicked....and I was late making the decisions...and he lost so much blood. What if...” Luke continues, choking up a little.

“Stop.” Michael instructs, “yes you’re a doctor, but you are human, you’re allowed to be scared, to hesitate...you did your best for him, and Ash...” his voice chokes up, “he’s a fighter, he’ll get through this,” Michael fights back tears but just about forces the words out.

Luke crumbles at this, tears flowing over. He just nods and lets Michael pull him sideways into a hug, using both arms to hug.

“He’s going to be just fine,” Michael whispers, kissing the top of his head, “he’s going to be fine” allowing a few tears to slip out.

He has to be. Michael doesn’t know what will happen if he isn’t.

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

Calum’s staring out of the window of the waiting room window. He and Ashton should be celebrating by now, planning how to share the news....instead well he’s waiting while Ashton fights for breath. He startles slightly as he hears the door open, Michael smiling softly tugging Luke behind him. Both, like him, have red rimmed eyes, both pale and tired.

“Any news?” Luke dares to ask, taking a seat. Calum just shakes his head. Practising the mantra in his head, no news is good news.

“I called Jane, she’s....she’s on her way,” Calum sighs rubbing his face tiredly.

He makes eye contact with Michael, who subtly tilts his head to join them on the sofa.

“Want to tell us about....” Michael starts not sure whether to push this, but he can feel the tension running through Calum, the shock the sadness. He wants to talk about something happier, something more optimistic.

Calum sighs, not sure if he really wants to talk about this, because he’s just stopped crying and he doesn’t want to start again. He knows what Michael is doing, trying to get him to focus on the future, a one with a healthy Ashton in it. The one he needs, just the thought of that gives him such a strong sense of hope, and he clings to it.

Sensing that Calum is going with this plan, “I mean we’re going to find out in a while anyways” he shrugs with a smile, giving him that final push.

Luke frowns, looking over at the pair – clearly clueless. It’s nice to smile, he’s scared to say the words, in-case that’s all it ever gets to be just a thought, but he finds himself latching onto the hope. Because maybe, maybe if he says the words then they’ll come true. “Well.....” he starts.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

It’s been almost an hour, Luke notices glancing at the clock. He spots Calum and Michael doing the same, and he knows they’re both thinking the same – trying to calculate the time, trying to think what surgery their boyfriend, best friend is going through. Calum had only just finished talking about his proposal when Jane entered, without the blonde’s siblings. She hadn’t wanted to scare them, not until there were answers and a plan. Luke glances over and sees the pair talking in hushed tones, clasping at each others hands.

Michael’s staring into space, biting his lip. Luke knows Michael’s closed to breaking - he’s been great so far, talking him through the initial stabilisation, reassuring himself and Calum. The red-heads been the cool head in a crisis, but as usual he’s pushed aside his feelings and soon he’ll crumble. Luke glances at the clock again, he really should ring his mother, who’s got Jess today. It’s hours after both of their shifts should have finished. Michael’s already called and explained , albeit briefly. The doctor knows his mother won’t mind but Ashton is family to all of them – and she’ll be worried too.

As he’s debating this there is a knock at the door and Dr Bakarat enters.

“Hey” his smile is tight, his shoulders are slumped, face drawn with tension and weariness of a clearly difficult surgery. “He’s in recovery” are the first word he hears, and all 4 of them let out collective sighs of relief.

“There were lots of internal bleeding, I had to do a Splenectomy and partial Hemicholectomy, but he’s stable and in recovery. He has a few rib fractures to the right side and left Radius fracture that Ortho has casted.” Dr Bakarat continues.

“He’s in ICU and will be there for the next 24-48 hours, the main concern is infection, You can see him” He adds, knowing that’s the only other words the 4 want to hear right now. Calum nods, tears in his eyes. He’s alive. That’s all he can take in right now.

Jane smiles, tears running down her cheeks as she grabs his hand and Michael’s who sitting next to her. “Let’s go see our boy..”


End file.
